Overcoming vicissitudes

While fulfilling the purposes of His incarnation, namely, killing of Ravana, protecting the innocent rishis against the demons and offering succour to those who seek refuge in Him, Lord Rama disguises His paratva. He never swerves from the path of dharma upheld by His illustrious ancestors of the Ikshvaku clan.

Out of compassion to humanity, the divine couple who incarnated as Rama and Sita showed by example how to adopt a balanced and detached mental stance towards life’s vicissitudes, pointed out Sri B. Damodhara Dikshitar in a discourse.

After Rama’s coronation, when things seem to have settled down in Ayodhya, there awaits further sorrow for Sita. Rama sends Sita to the forest based on the rumours doing the rounds. Valmiki captures the poignancy of the situation as felt by Sita. When the truth that she is to be left all alone in the forest is clear to her from Lakshmana’s words, she displays a momentary sense of helplessness. She tells Lakshmana, who had been entrusted by Rama to drop her off at the forest, thus: “I married Rama while young and since then I have considered Him as my father, mother, and everything till date.” But the innate courage of a Kshatriya queen surges in her to subdue this feeling as she steels herself up to face the situation. She tells Lakshmana: “Though Agni testified my chastity, Rama has done this to me. But Rama is a noble Kshatriya ruler of boundless repute. So if this has happened to me it is my fate and ill luck and not His fault.” She informs Lakshmana about her pregnant state and accepts the offer of Valmiki to live in his hermitage.

Sita’s distress is mitigated by the wise words of the sage who says: “When sorrows come, it makes no sense to analyse the cause; rather one should try to resolve the problem and learn to cope.” He offers solace to the sorrowing Sita by asking her to worship the Ikshvaku clan deity Sri Ranganatha.

For Rama’s part, He did not doubt Sita’s chastity. His commitment to the Kshatriya dharma demanded that He rise above personal likes and dislikes. He too felt the pangs of separation and lived in austerity while ruling Ayodhya righteously.